might only come along once in a lifetime.
He’d had no contact with her at all since that morning, even though Party Queens were organising this evening’s launch party.Dominic had done all the liaising with the party planners. Of course he had—he was married to the Design Director.
By the time he reached Dominic’s house, Jake was decidedly on edge. He sensed Eliza’s presence as soon as he was ushered through the door of Dominic’s impressive mansion in the waterfront suburb of Vaucluse. Was it her scent? Or was it that his instincts were so attuned to Eliza they homed in on her even within a crowd? He heard the soft chime of her laughter even before he saw her. Excitement and anticipation stirred. Just seeing Eliza from a distance was enough to set his heart racing.
He stood at a distance after he’d found her, deep in conversation with a female journalist he recognised. This particular journalist had been the one to label Dominic—one of the most generous men Jake had ever known—with the title of ‘Millionaire Miser’.
Andie and Party Queens had organised a party on Christmas Day two years ago that had dispelled that reputation. Planning that party was how Andie had met Dominic. And a week after Christmas Dominic had arranged a surprise wedding for Andie. Jake had flown down from Brisbane to be best man, and that wedding was where he’d met Eliza for the first time.
Jake looked through the wall of French doors that opened out from the ballroom of Dominic’s grand Art Deco house to the lit-up garden and swimming pool beyond. He remembered his first sight of Eliza, exquisite in a flowing pale blue bridesmaid’s dress, white flowers twisted through her dark hair. She had laughed up at him as they’d shared in the conspiracy of it all: the bride had had no idea of her own upcoming nuptials.
Jake had been mesmerised by Eliza’s extraordinary blue eyes, captivated by her personality. They had chatted the whole way through the reception. He’d been separated from Fern at that stage, but still trying to revive something that had been long dead. Not wanting to admit defeat. Eliza had helped him see how pointless that was—helped him to see hope for a new future just by being Eliza.
Now she wasn’t aware that he was there, and he watched her as she chatted to the journalist, her face animated, her smile at the ready. She was so lovely—and not just in looks. He couldn’t think of another person whose company he enjoyed more than Eliza’s. Why had he let her go?
He couldn’t bear it if he didn’t get some kind of second chance with her. He’d tried to rid himself of the notion that he was a one-woman man. After all, a billionaire bachelor was spoiled for choice. He didn’t have to hunt around to find available woman—they found him . Theoretically, he could date a string of them—live up to his media reputation. Since Port Douglas he’d gone out with a few women, both in Australia and on his business travels. Not one had captured his interest. None had come anywhere near Eliza.
Tonight she looked every inch the professional, but with a quirky touch to the way she was dressed that was perfectly appropriate to her career as a party planner. She wore a full-skirted black dress, with long, tight, sheer sleeves, and high-heeled black stilettos. Her hair was twisted up behind her head and finished with a flat black velvet bow. What had she called her style? Retro-inspired? He would call the way she dressed ‘ladylike’. But she was as smart and as business-savvy as any guy in a suit and necktie.
Did she feel the intensity of his gaze on her? She turned around, caught his eye. Jake smiled and nodded a greeting, not wanting to interrupt her conversation. He was shocked by her reaction. Initially a flash of delight lightened her face, only to be quickly replaced by wariness and then a conscious schooling of her features into polite indifference.
Jake felt as if he had been kicked in the gut. Why?
He’d had no contact with her at all since that morning, even though Party Queens were organising this evening’s launch party.Dominic had done all the liaising with the party planners. Of course he had—he was married to the Design Director.
By the time he reached Dominic’s house, Jake was decidedly on edge. He sensed Eliza’s presence as soon as he was ushered through the door of Dominic’s impressive mansion in the waterfront suburb of Vaucluse. Was it her scent? Or was it that his instincts were so attuned to Eliza they homed in on her even within a crowd? He heard the soft chime of her laughter even before he saw her. Excitement and anticipation stirred. Just seeing Eliza from a distance was enough to set his heart racing.
He stood at a distance after he’d found her, deep in conversation with a female journalist he recognised. This particular journalist had been the one to label Dominic—one of the most generous men Jake had ever known—with the title of ‘Millionaire Miser’.
Andie and Party Queens had organised a party on Christmas Day two years ago that had dispelled that reputation. Planning that party was how Andie had met Dominic. And a week after Christmas Dominic had arranged a surprise wedding for Andie. Jake had flown down from Brisbane to be best man, and that wedding was where he’d met Eliza for the first time.
Jake looked through the wall of French doors that opened out from the ballroom of Dominic’s grand Art Deco house to the lit-up garden and swimming pool beyond. He remembered his first sight of Eliza, exquisite in a flowing pale blue bridesmaid’s dress, white flowers twisted through her dark hair. She had laughed up at him as they’d shared in the conspiracy of it all: the bride had had no idea of her own upcoming nuptials.
Jake had been mesmerised by Eliza’s extraordinary blue eyes, captivated by her personality. They had chatted the whole way through the reception. He’d been separated from Fern at that stage, but still trying to revive something that had been long dead. Not wanting to admit defeat. Eliza had helped him see how pointless that was—helped him to see hope for a new future just by being Eliza.
Now she wasn’t aware that he was there, and he watched her as she chatted to the journalist, her face animated, her smile at the ready. She was so lovely—and not just in looks. He couldn’t think of another person whose company he enjoyed more than Eliza’s. Why had he let her go?
He couldn’t bear it if he didn’t get some kind of second chance with her. He’d tried to rid himself of the notion that he was a one-woman man. After all, a billionaire bachelor was spoiled for choice. He didn’t have to hunt around to find available woman—they found him . Theoretically, he could date a string of them—live up to his media reputation. Since Port Douglas he’d gone out with a few women, both in Australia and on his business travels. Not one had captured his interest. None had come anywhere near Eliza.
Tonight she looked every inch the professional, but with a quirky touch to the way she was dressed that was perfectly appropriate to her career as a party planner. She wore a full-skirted black dress, with long, tight, sheer sleeves, and high-heeled black stilettos. Her hair was twisted up behind her head and finished with a flat black velvet bow. What had she called her style? Retro-inspired? He would call the way she dressed ‘ladylike’. But she was as smart and as business-savvy as any guy in a suit and necktie.
Did she feel the intensity of his gaze on her? She turned around, caught his eye. Jake smiled and nodded a greeting, not wanting to interrupt her conversation. He was shocked by her reaction. Initially a flash of delight lightened her face, only to be quickly replaced by wariness and then a conscious schooling of her features into polite indifference.
Jake felt as if he had been kicked in the gut. Why?
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